What Is a WordPress One-Click Install?

One of the best things about WordPress is that it’s incredibly easy to get started with, including the process of installing and setting up your website.

You may have heard of the famous "five-minute install,” but there are actually even faster methods available. When you choose a quality hosting plan, it will sometimes offer a one-click install option. This will enable you to create your new website with a single click — no technical knowledge required! Then you can get right to designing your site and creating content.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the steps you’ll want to take before installing WordPress. Then we’ll walk you through how to install WordPress with one-click if you have one of our shared hosting plans and show you what to do afterward. Let’s dive right in!

What You’ll Need to Do Before Installing WordPress

Thanks to the one-click method, installing your WordPress site is quick and painless. However, there are a few things you’ll need to make sure to do beforehand. Namely, you’ll have to purchase a domain name and sign up for a hosting plan.

Your domain name is the URL people will use to visit your site — for example, www.wordpress.org. Therefore, it’s important to make your choice carefully. Aim for something short, easy to remember, and creative enough to stand out. You can use a domain registrar to check if the name you want is available and then purchase it directly.

Next, you’ll need to pick a web host for your site. This hosting company will provide your website its ‘home’ on the internet so you need to make sure you’re opting for a quality provider. Look for one with a solid track record for performance, excellent security features, and WordPress-specific optimization and support. Changing your host down the line can be a pain so consider your options carefully.

If you aren’t sure where to start, we’d recommend our own shared hosting plans. They are an excellent choice for first-time website owners and provide excellent performance and security for a low price. Plus, you’ll get access to a one-click install method that will dramatically simplify setting up your WordPress site.

How to Skip the WordPress Installation Process Altogether

Above, we mentioned our shared hosting plans, which are a great fit if you have a small site or a tight budget. However, there are other hosting options you might want to consider. In particular, if you’re setting up a WordPress website, it’s worth checking out some platform-specific hosting plans.

For a perfect example, take a look at our shared WordPress hosting service. These plans are similar to our regular shared options but are optimized specifically for WordPress. For even more features and better performance, you can also opt for DreamPress. This managed hosting plan ensures that your site will be as fast and secure as possible with no effort required on your end.

Best of all, our WordPress-specific hosting plans all come with the platform pre-installed — right out of the box. That means you can start working on your website right away.

We encourage you to check out our WordPress hosting services and let us know if you have any questions. For now, however, let’s talk about what to do if you’ve chosen a plan that doesn’t come with WordPress pre-installed by default.

How to Install WordPress Using the One-Click Method

Once you have your domain and hosting sorted out, it’s time to actually set up your website. There are a number of ways to install WordPress, ranging from very simple to quite complex. Fortunately, as we mentioned earlier, if you’re signed up for a shared hosting plan at DreamHost you’ll have a one-click install option for WordPress. This means you can get your site up and running in just a few minutes.

First, you’ll need to visit your DreamHost control panel, the handy central location where you can manage your website. Then go to Goodies > One-Click Install:

You’ll see a list of options here — go ahead and choose WordPress. From here, you’ll just need to fill in a couple of fields.

Under Install to, you should select the domain you want your site to be hosted at. If you’ve purchased a domain from DreamHost, it should be available here. If not, you may need to transfer your domain over. As for Select Database, you’ll probably want to leave that field as the default option, unless you have an existing database you’d like to use to install your site.

Finally, you can choose whether or not to check the Deluxe Install option. This is a great feature for beginners since it packs your new site with some useful tools to help you get started. A number of excellent themes and plugins will be pre-installed so you can use them right away, and extra security enhancements will be added to your site’s files.

Once the above fields are all set, click on Install it for me now!

Then, check your inbox for the email address associated with your DreamHost account. You’ll receive an email with your username and a password reset link for your new site.

What to Do After Installing WordPress

When you visit your brand new site, it should look something like this:

Having a fresh website is exciting, but can also be a little intimidating — especially if it’s your first one. Don’t worry: WordPress is notoriously easy to pick up. Once your site has been successfully installed, you’ll want to spend some time exploring the options available.

There’s a lot to take in, but here are some of the most important sections of your WordPress dashboard you should familiarize yourself with right away:

Settings — This is a good first tab to visit, so you can make sure your site is configured the way you’d like. Don’t be concerned if you don’t understand all the options here yet. You might never need to touch some of them. For a start, check out the General and Reading sections.

Appearance — Under this tab, you’ll find the Themes section. Here you can select a theme for your website, which will largely determine its layout and look.

Plugins — If you’re looking to add some plugins to your site, this is where you’ll want to go. If you chose the Deluxe install option, you’ll see some awesome tools already listed here. If not, you can start looking for plugins to add new features to your site.

Posts and Pages — Finally, these two tabs are where you’ll go to start creating content for your site.

It will take a little time to become comfortable with the WordPress dashboard, but there’s no rush. If you put in the effort to learn the ropes upfront, you’ll have to make a lot fewer changes later on. Plus, if you ever find yourself stumped by anything, you can find lots of people willing to help you out online.

Conclusion

There are many reasons to choose your hosting plan carefully. In particular, you’ll want to look for one that makes setting up your new site a breeze. Our shared hosting plans offer a one-click install option, which lets you set up WordPress incredibly quickly. Alternately, you can choose our shared WordPress hosting or our managed DreamPress service and skip the WordPress installation process altogether!